Now TV Smart Box

Annie1960

https://www.nowtv.com/tv-smart-box
I'm looking for advice on this.


1. Do I need a TV aerial for this, or will it work if I just have a TV, socket and broadband?


2. I've seen Now TV advertised as being fee, but when I look into this it seems to be just for a trial period. It is possible to get Now TV free on an ongoing basis?


Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this.

J_B

No Aerial required, it's an internet based service.


We've had one for about a year now and never spent any money with them (apart from purchase!)
We only use it for 'catch up' on an older TV without such things, but I'm fairly sure that you can use it to get free-to-air channels.

Annie1960

J_B wrote: »

No Aerial required, it's an internet based service.


We've had one for about a year now and never spent any money with them (apart from purchase!)
We only use it for 'catch up' on an older TV without such things, but I'm fairly sure that you can use it to get free-to-air channels.

Thanks, yes I would be wanting the free-to-air terrestrial channels.

Inner_Zone

The new Smart 4K box the OP links to does not have a Freeview tuner as did the previous Smart box, so no free to air channels, but various streaming players.



It's a subscription based purchase but you can purchase vouchers cheaper elsewhere or sometime you get offers from NowTV which can be cheaper than full price.

Inner_Zone

Annie1960 wrote: »

Thanks, yes I would be wanting the free-to-air terrestrial channels.

Then look out for the older non Pink Smart box like this one:


http://www.argos.co.uk/product/7286274


Which will require an aerial for Freeview. But unless you wish to subscribe to NowTV, (note no NowTV box can record, but a few can pause for upto 30 minutes), a Freeview or Youview PVR would probably be a better choice.

DoaM

Do you actually have a TV aerial/socket? (There was a recent thread on the same subject where the OP thought they didn't have one).

Annie1960

DoaM wrote: »

Do you actually have a TV aerial/socket? (There was a recent thread on the same subject where the OP thought they didn't have one).

No Freeview in that room, but there is an aerial for Freesat, which I have never used before. I had the aerial checked and it works, but I was looking for simpler options.


Now TV, if it doesn't need an aerial or monthly payment, would be good. Otherwise I may need to get a Freesat box.


All I want to watch are the basics, terrestrial channels and rolling news. I don't want an entertainment pass.

abssorb

Annie1960 wrote: »

Thanks, yes I would be wanting the free-to-air terrestrial channels.

This can be a little confusing. The Now TV box won't give you Terrestrial broadcasts, it's only for "On Demand" TV, which is also known as catch-up TV and streaming.

All of the UK "Channels" if you think of them as a business, make on demand TV and you'd be able to see that. They brand them as iplayer, 4OD,

But if you want to just put a channel on as the old traditional way, and see BBC1, BBC, ITV etc, then you'll need a freeview box, which will need an antenna (or satellite dish, which is better).

Most freeview boxes have smart / streaming capability built-in. I.e. they also do the job of the Now TV box.

However, because of the way that Sky markets its content, if you want to watch Sky premium channels, you would need both boxes.

Annie1960

Inner_Zone wrote: »

Then look out for the older non Pink Smart box like this one:


http://www.argos.co.uk/product/7286274


Which will require an aerial for Freeview. But unless you wish to subscribe to NowTV, (note no NowTV box can record, but a few can pause for upto 30 minutes), a Freeview or Youview PVR would probably be a better choice.

No Freeview aerial in the room.



What's Youview?

Annie1960

abssorb wrote: »

This can be a little confusing. The Now TV box won't give you Terrestrial broadcasts, it's only for "On Demand" TV, which is also known as catch-up TV and streaming.

All of the UK "Channels" if you think of them as a business, make on demand TV and you'd be able to see that. They brand them as iplayer, 4OD,

But if you want to just put a channel on as the old traditional way, and see BBC1, BBC, ITV etc, then you'll need a freeview box, which will need an antenna (or satellite dish, which is better).

Most freeview boxes have smart / streaming capability built-in. I.e. they also do the job of the Now TV box.

However, because of the way that Sky markets its content, if you want to watch Sky premium channels, you would need both boxes.

I certainly don't want Sky.


Just some basic TV in the kitchen for use now and again.

Annie1960

DoaM wrote: »

Do you actually have a TV aerial/socket? (There was a recent thread on the same subject where the OP thought they didn't have one).

No, only Freesat but I wondered whether Now TV would be simpler. Apparently not!